Eating Disorders

Children & Teens with ARFID

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a condition where someone eats too little or avoids certain foods, leading to problems like poor nutrition, weight loss, or difficulty in daily life, but their restriction is tied to difficulties that don’t relate to body image. My approach to treating ARFID involves a modified CBT-AR protocol tailored to each patient's unique needs. The therapy begins with a thorough assessment and psychoeducation about ARFID and eating. We then collaboratively set individualized, achievable goals focused on expanding food variety and improving nutritional intake. A key element is systematic exposure to feared foods and eating situations, coupled with cognitive restructuring to challenge negative thoughts and beliefs. For sensory-based aversions, I incorporate sensory desensitization exercises. My modifications to the existing CBT-AR protocol are designed to make the treatment more enjoyable and less stressful for children and teens. Typically my young clients have fun in their sessions, and that is important to me.

Treatment also emphasizes skills training, parental/family involvement when appropriate, and close monitoring of progress. I coach parents on supportive feeding practices and reducing accommodation of avoidance behaviors where possible. Throughout the process, we focus on building coping strategies, managing anxiety, and creating a positive mealtime environment. The ultimate goal is to help patients achieve a more varied and nutritious diet, reduce the distress associated with eating, and develop strategies for long-term maintenance of progress. I also enjoy working in concert with dietitians and can support families to connect with an AFRID-informed dietician.

Individual & Family Therapy for Teens With Anorexia & Bulimia

I primarily use the Family Based Therapy (FBT) treatment modality for teens with eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. I received my FBT training through Stanford University. FBT is a three phase, evidence-based, and highly effective model of treatment for anorexia and bulimia and I receive professional consultation in this method. FBT empowers the teen’s family to help them heal, with the guidance of the therapist who acts as a consultant throughout the process. This is a highly structured approach that requires participation from all integral family members of the patient. FBT is often successful at treating anorexia and bulimia and helping the patient avoid a higher level of care, such as an IOP, PHP, or residential care program.

I also do individual therapy with teens who have already completed FBT or other intensive treatment, or are in the recovery stage of their eating disorder, with the goal of supporting sustained recovery and working through any lingering emotional/psychological difficulties tied to the eating disorder. Interventions vary dependent on the teen’s interests, and often involve art-centered activities, self-expression, skill building, and my own modified version of intuitive eating geared for a teen audience. I enjoy working in conjunction with a treatment team often involving an eating disorder-informed pediatrician and dietician, and can help families build a team if needed.

Young Adults & Adults

With young adults, I incorporate some aspects of FBT when appropriate, but integrate other treatment modalities to best meet the needs and life goals of the client. Sometimes there is additional work to be done in adulthood that was not possible in childhood, and that may be the focus of the treatment. I practice using a Health at Every Size HAES® approach. Other modalities we might integrate into your treatment include DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), Narrative Therapy, or even a more traditional talk-therapy or psychodynamic approach. I have also enjoyed integrating art-based interventions into my practice, so we might utilize our collective creativity to help you work through blockages to your healing via art.

Severe & Enduring Eating Disorders

I also have experience treating people with severe and enduring eating disorders (meaning over 10 years of eating disorder symptoms) using a combination of treatment modalities personalized to meet the individual client’s needs. This has been effective with those who have tried “everything” and still have not experienced a true end to their eating disorder symptoms.